3 Ways Wikipedia Can Improve Your Vocabulary

Instead of going to Wikipedia every day and rummaging through millions of pages, let’s look at three quick ways to get new words every day.

Use IFTTT to get new words. Set up IFTTT with this applet and you will receive a weekly digest of all the new “Word of the day” posts from the previous week. The applet bridges Wikipedia and your email to deliver new words to your inbox.

Use Wikitionary with IFTTT. Set up your Pocket account with this IFTTT applet that sends a Wiktionary article to your Pocket account to help expand your vocabulary. The word can be in a foreign language too.

Use Wikipedia with Kindle. It can be the Paperwhite or the Kindle app on your phone. When you come across a new word, Kindle allows you to use Google, Wikipedia, or Translate. Referring Wikipedia will help you understand more than the meaning of the word. It can be some interesting trivia which will help you remember the word better.

For instance, for “mundane” I learned that “Mundane science fiction” is a genre of science fiction that does not use any of the common sci-fi tropes.

When learning new words it’s always better to look them up immediately. It creates instant connections with what you are reading. Wikipedia isn’t a dictionary but the world’s largest reference encyclopedia is a handy vocabulary tool if you allow it to be.

Saikat Basu is the Deputy Editor for Internet, Windows, and Productivity. After removing the grime of an MBA and a ten year long marketing career, he is now passionate about helping others improve their storytelling skills. He looks out for the missing Oxford comma and hates bad screenshots. But Photography, Photoshop, and Productivity ideas soothe his soul.